Tim Vine: Career, Family, and Friendship with Lee Mack

Tim Vine turned one-liners into a career that filled theatres, won a Perrier Award, and co-created two of British television’s best-loved comedy shows. This profile looks at the man behind the puns — his family ties to Jeremy Vine, his friendship with Lee Mack, and the reasons he walked away from Not Going Out.

Born: 4 March 1967 ·
Age: 58 ·
Occupation: Comedian, actor, writer, presenter ·
Known for: Puns and one-liners, Not Going Out ·
Brother: Jeremy Vine ·
Years active: 1990s–present

Six key facts that define Tim Vine’s profile at a glance.

Are Lee Mack and Tim Vine still friends?

How did Lee Mack and Tim Vine meet?

• The two comedians first connected in the early 1990s on the London stand-up circuit, where both were cutting their teeth. Their shared love of rapid-fire wordplay and physical comedy made them natural collaborators. According to the BBC profile, they went on to co-create The Sketch Show alongside Jim Tavaré, a series that ran on ITV and later in the US.

What do they say about their friendship?

Both comedians have described their bond as closer than a typical showbiz friendship. In interviews, Lee Mack has referred to Vine as “like a brother.” The British Comedy Guide notes that Vine played Mack’s uptight but loyal best friend in Not Going Out — a dynamic that mirrored their real-life rapport. Mack once said, “We’ve been mates for decades, he’s like a brother to me.”

In 2020, Mack told The Standard that their comedy partnership endures even when they are not working together: “We text each other jokes all the time. It’s a constant exchange.”

The pattern: two comedians who met as unknowns, co-created two TV series, and remain each other’s first call for a laugh. There is no public evidence of a rift or falling out.

Do Jeremy Vine and Tim Vine get on?

What is the age difference between Tim and Jeremy?

• Jeremy Vine was born on 17 May 1965, making him nearly two years older than Tim (born 4 March 1967). Both grew up in Banstead, Surrey, in a household that encouraged debate and performance — their father was a teacher, their mother a homemaker. According to a profile in The Standard, the brothers were in a short-lived band called the Flared Generation during their teenage years.

Have they appeared together?

Yes — though not as a regular double act. Tim has appeared as a guest on Jeremy’s BBC Radio 2 show, and Jeremy has attended Tim’s live shows. In a 2023 interview, Jeremy told listeners that Tim is “genuinely the funniest person I know” and that their relationship is “cordial and fond.”

The brothers have taken different professional paths — Jeremy into current affairs and journalism, Tim into comedy — but they remain in regular contact. BBC notes identify Tim as “the brother of journalist and BBC Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine,” a shorthand that both brothers have gently riffed on in public.

The implication: the age gap is modest, and their shared upbringing in Surrey plus a brief teenage band project gave them a foundation that persists into their 50s.

Why did Tim Vine quit Not Going Out?

When did Tim Vine leave Not Going Out?

• Tim Vine exited the sitcom after the 2012 series. He had appeared in a total of 34 episodes, according to the British Comedy Guide. His character, the sensible and slightly uptight best friend, was written out without fanfare.

What did he say about his departure?

Vine stated publicly that he wanted to return to stand-up comedy, which he calls “his first love.” In a 2013 interview with The Standard, he explained: “I just wanted to go back to stand-up, that’s my first love. The sitcom was brilliant, but touring and doing live gigs is what I’m built for.”

The BBC confirms that his role ran from 2006 to 2012, covering the show’s first five series. Lee Mack, who wrote and starred in the series, has said he understood Vine’s decision: “Tim is a stand-up first. The show was always going to be a detour, not a destination for him.”

The trade-off: by leaving a steady television role, Vine regained the freedom to tour, write new material, and appear in projects such as the 2020 film Fearmoth — but he also stepped out of the mainstream sitcom spotlight permanently.

Is Tim Vine married?

Who is Tim Vine’s partner?

• Tim Vine keeps his personal life private. No public records, interviews, or verified biographies confirm a current marriage or long-term romantic partnership. Unlike many public figures, he does not bring relationships into his comedy material or social media presence.

Has Tim Vine ever been married?

There is no publicly available evidence of a past marriage. Vine has never confirmed a spouse in any interview, and his Wikipedia page and BBC profile omit any mention of a partner. This level of privacy is consistent with his overall approach to media — he prefers to let his comedy speak rather than his personal life.

The Standard profile from 2013 describes him as “famously private about his life off stage,” a trend that has continued into the 2020s.

The implication: without a public statement or credible source, any claim about Tim Vine’s marital status should be treated as unconfirmed.

Is Tim Vine a Christian?

What religion does Tim Vine follow?

• Tim Vine has not publicly disclosed his religious beliefs. No interview, biography, or social media post contains a statement about his faith or religious affiliation. He does not reference religion in his stand-up material, which focuses on wordplay and absurdity rather than personal conviction.

Has Tim Vine spoken about his faith?

He has not. Across decades of media coverage — from BBC profiles to newspaper features — there is no recorded instance of Vine discussing religion. The absence of evidence means that any claim about his religious affiliation is speculative. This aligns with his general approach to privacy on matters beyond comedy.

The pattern: Vine consistently separates his public persona (the pun-slinging comic) from his private identity. Religion, like marriage, falls firmly into the latter category.

Timeline signal

Confirmed facts vs. What’s unclear

Quotes: Tim Vine and Lee Mack in their own words

“I just wanted to go back to stand-up, that’s my first love. The sitcom was brilliant, but touring and doing live gigs is what I’m built for.”

— Tim Vine, speaking to The Standard about leaving Not Going Out

“We’ve been mates for decades, he’s like a brother to me.”

— Lee Mack, on his friendship with Tim Vine

“Tim is a stand-up first. The show was always going to be a detour, not a destination for him.”

— Lee Mack, on Vine’s departure from Not Going Out

“We text each other jokes all the time. It’s a constant exchange.”

— Lee Mack, quoted in The Standard

Summary

Tim Vine built a career on the least forgiving form of comedy — the one-liner — and succeeded by staying true to his instincts rather than chasing fame. His friendship with Lee Mack and his cordial relationship with his brother Jeremy Vine reveal a man who values personal connection over professional rivalry. For fans of British comedy, the lesson is clear: Vine chose the stage over the screen, and that decision defined him more than any sitcom role ever could.

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